The Winding Dunes of Sand
by softwinds
Summary: He had known it was her from the beginning… He had sensed her energy the very second she stepped foot outside the village. He had felt her essence the very instant she stepped onto desert sand. He couldn't deny he was surprised she would show up but when she turned to leave, he knew he had to stop her.
1. Uncertainties

I do not own Naruto…

**THE WINDING DUNES OF SAND**

**Uncertainties**

The profound sound of traditional musical accompaniments of drums and flutes below didn't seem to distract the red-haired leader from his thoughts. Standing at the roomy terrace above the Kazekage tower, Gaara looked ahead. He wasn't exactly paying attention to the village before him. Although his stance was as normal as always, his mind was in turmoil.

"_Gaara!_" Temari's obviously aggravated voice preceded the blonde-haired lady as she stormed into the terrace. _"What are you doing here?"_

The Kazekage closed his eyes... He knew what was coming.

"_The ceremony starts in half an hour!_" His sister's angry tone rang across. "_You should get to the shrine now!_"

Inhaling deeply, the Suna leader slowly opened his eyes. "Temari," he called in his usual calm tone, his eyes trained at the village before him. "Do you think this is the right thing to do?"

"What?... Gaara… are you having second thoughts?"

"Second thoughts…?" The words sounded foreign even as he spoke. "My opinion about this matter was never relevant in the first place, Temari."

The lady sighed aloud before walking towards her younger brother. While she wore a colourful kimono and had replaced her normal four short ponytails with an intricate bun, Gaara's ensemble was simple for a groom. He was only wearing a white _montsuki _kimono over a pair of black pleated _hakama_ pants. The sand gourd that was normally strapped to his back was no where in sight.

Standing beside him at the terrace, Temari could sense that Gaara was upset.

They had arranged for the marriage to take place – Kankuro and her. The seniors had deliberated that the people of Sunagakure would love to see their Kazekage as a normal human being rather than the lonely sociopath they remembered him as. Even though it had been seven years since he became leader to the village, there were still some who were skeptical about his behavior. His dark past had haunted those who had chanced upon his brutal activities when he was much younger - the sadistic and uncaring part of him. Therefore, the committees have decided that they had to change the mindset of the people once and for all in order to bring profound peace to the village.

In the attempt, Baki had suggested that Gaara fell into normal practice. Getting married... was normal practice. His proposal was also fully supported by the fact that the Kazekage had already touched twenty-one – a fitting age for their leader to be married. Being a member of Sunagakure's advisory council, the jounin had also suggested that they find a girl from another village. Konohagakure was best in line. Since the two villages were of closest alliance, it would only be right to choose a wife for their leader from the leaf village. In addition, it was Konoha's shinobi, along with Suna's renowned puppet master, Chiyo-_baasama_, who had saved the young Kazekage from his death many years ago. Hence, it was only right to choose a bride from Konoha.

The task was consequently passed to the leader's own siblings, Temari and Kankuro. Without much consideration, the two came up with a name – Hyuga. The clan was still one of the oldest and most powerful in the leaf village. It would only be proper to find someone from a revered clan to be the wife to the leader of Suna. With prior information that the Hyuga heiress was of the same age as the Kazekage, the sand siblings knew they had pinned down the exact person to the role – _Hyuga Hinata_.

Finally heaving a sigh, the red-haired male turned to face his sister. It was only at that moment that Temari realized she had never really paid attention to her younger brother's features. With wind-swept, red hair over dark-rimmed, light green eyes, high-bridged nose and thin lips, the lady had to admit that her brother looked almost picture-perfect. Gaara… _was handsome_. Temari couldn't control the smile that followed. They had chosen a most suitable bride for their brother. Hyuga Hinata... was equally attractive in every way.

"Gaara," the lady slowly emitted. "I know this is a totally new experience for you…"

"You don't know anything…" the red-haired male breathed softly. "I don't need a wife, Temari… I don't know… how to love."

"Do you mean the physical part? If it's that, I'm sure Baki would be more than pleased to tea…" her words faltered when she caught Gaara's eyes piercing into hers.

She knew what he had meant from the start. She was starting to feel skeptical about the whole affair too. _What if Gaara was right?_ …And then she realized that she had been a fool to have even allowed such a thought passed through her mind. Her brother was more capable of loving than anyone she knew. He had, in the attempt to save the people of their village, even put his life in total danger when Suna was badly attacked by the Akatsuki, years ago. That act alone was proof enough of how much love the Kazekage could generate... Gaara was more than capable of loving. She should never have doubted that.

Coming to her senses, Temari quietly laughed. "Gaara, you are going to be fine. Nothing can go wrong… I know you don't show too much emotion outwardly but, you are more capable of loving than you know."

The male had to look away. He wasn't used to accepting positive reception, especially when it concerned his sentiments.

"Anyway, your future wife is a really nice lady. She's kind, beautiful…"

"Temari…" Gaara intercepted. He didn't want to hear anymore. Temari and Kankuro have been repeating the same lines for weeks. It was the last of the Kazekage's concern. He was only worried about one thing - what he couldn't offer… _love_.

%%%

Hanabi watched as the two elderly ladies placed the _tsuno kakushi_ over the bride's elaborate hairstyle. For a moment, the younger sister wondered if the white hood was a rightful accessory. In all actuality, it was supposed to portray the bride's willingness to enter into a marriage and take on her role as a wife. The young lady wondered if her sister was all-willing…

As the elderly women meddled with the hood, Hinata's two kunoichi friends, Ino and Ten Ten slipped white socks onto the bride's feet before donning them with a pair of thong-like clogs. Then, they helped Hinata to her feet as one of the older ladies slid a fan into her obi belt. Quietly, the bride thanked both the older women for their help. They bowed deeply before exiting the room.

Ino and Ten Ten then took a step back each to scan the bride. It had been a most difficult task trying to dress a lady in traditional wedding attire, more so the Kazekage's bride. They had to make sure they overdid most things. Hinata had to look respectably presentable not only for the groom and his family, but also for all the honored guests that will be attending the ceremony.

"It's almost time," Neji called as he walked into the spacious room. He was wearing his formal Hyuga robe, with his hair tied in a loose ponytail. The male stood pinned to the floor when he caught sight of his cousin in the mirror. Words failed to leave his mouth.

Dressed in an intricate white wedding kimono made purely of silk, Hinata emanated beauty and purity. Her fair and smooth complexion had rendered it unnecessary for her to be painted white. Bright red lipstick highlighted her beautifully formed lips. It was almost like looking at a traditional wedding doll. The young bride was dramatically beautiful.

"Isn't she the most beautiful bride, Neji?" Ten Ten giggled when she noticed Neji speechlessly staring at the bride.

The Hyuga male nodded and smiled at the same time.

Nonetheless, as she struggled with the sophisticated wedding kimono, Hinata couldn't help feeling extremely uncomfortable being so heavily clothed. Even though she was used to wearing a jacket over her clothes ever since young, under the _shiro-maku_, she could feel her body burning up. Sunagakure's sweltering heat wasn't doing anything to help either. They had only arrived at the sand village a day before. Apart from the traveling, all the preparations for the oncoming ceremony and reception since the night before had only served to make her feel light-headed.

"I think we all did a great job, Ten Ten," Ino claimed, as she expertly twisted her long blonde hair into a beautiful bun.

"No doubt about that," the weapons expert smiled, her brown eyes gleamed in admiration for the bride.

"She looks fit for a king, actually," Hinata's younger sister related.

Hinata laughed softly. "Hanabi, I'm not marrying a king."

"Well, a Kazekage is close enough, I guess," Hanabi replied. Inevitably, the younger sister had chosen to tie her long black hair up for the occasion.

Hinata turned solemn at her sister's words before quickly forcing a smile. How she had ended up in Suna, waiting to be married to the leader of the village, was still unfathomable to her. Even though she knew she would be caught in an arranged marriage, she had never envisioned herself being married to a village leader and definitely never thought her husband to be the one she had always feared – _Sabaku no Gaara… Gaara of the Desert._

Finally inhaling deeply, Hinata turned around to leave. If fate had brought her to the place, then she would have to carve her life accordingly, she thought. Furthermore, Konoha's present Hokage had vouched that Suna's Kazekage was a changed man – physically as well as mentally. Undoubtedly, she had been most worried about the mental part. Then again, she felt that she had to believe what Naruto had expressed.

Even so, as they started to leave the room, Hinata couldn't help the thoughts that came to her mind... Could she actually learn to love the man?

_shiro-maku - a traditional white wedding kimono_


	2. The Wedding

I do not own Naruto…

It was most unfortunate that the scene had such pronounced impact on Hinata's memory. Without a doubt, the very sight of the Kazekage brought overwhelming fear to her. She could feel herself swaying slightly as she stood before the shrine.

**Recap : **

_Even so, as they started to leave the room, Hinata couldn't help the thoughts that came to her mind... Could she actually learn to love the man?_

**The Wedding**

The sudden sound of cymbals clashing loudly amid the reverberations of drums and flutes outside the hall brought everyone to attention. Hinata looked up just as the intensity of rhythmic drumming and flute intonation became almost deafening.

The Kazekage has arrived…

In mere seconds, the red-haired leader meandered through the entrance while both his siblings busied themselves around him.

Kankuro was urgently pulling an outstanding black and gold _haori_ overcoat that bore the wind symbol of Sunagakure over the unflustered Kazekage. The puppet expert had actually forfeited his own traditional puppet outfit for a formal kimono with a black overcoat that also bore the emblem of wind. The usual purple painting on his face was missing, giving the older brother a fresh, clean look.

Temari alternatively busied herself with the groom's collar before proceeding to smooth any creases that might have formed on the overcoat. Her actions were in vain. The groom's garment had been so meticulously pressed that there was not a wrinkle in sight. Yet, the older sister continued brushing in a desperate measure to ease her very own anxiety. Any minute now and the Kazekage might turn around and leave. She can only pray that it doesn't happen.

It took almost half a minute before the blonde-haired kunoichi looked up to meet her brother's almost quizzical gaze. Temari gingerly smiled. She was holding up the ceremony. Maybe it wasn't Gaara's sudden departure from the place that she had feared. Maybe it was something else... The Kazekage's sister was actually struggling with a sudden shot of jealousy. After today, she will be sharing her younger brother with another lady… one that she had yet to get to know. Nevertheless, the wind mistress toyed with the emotion for a while before quickly brushing it off. It would take more than just a woman to bring out the green-eyed monster in her…

As he shifted his gaze from his sister, Gaara's eyes roamed from the many Hyuga present in the hall to the privileged guests from the leaf village. He allowed his gaze to linger a little longer on the Hokage, quietly exchanging a nod with Konoha's leader before his eyes finally fell upon the bride in white… _his bride_.

Their eyes met...

Hinata hastily looked down. She could distinctly feel her heart stop beating for a few seconds. In the brief exchange, a scene she had witnessed so many years ago unexpectedly ran through her mind...

She was involuntarily recalling a certain event during their first chunin exams where she and her ex-teammates had so unfortunately become witnesses to. The incident had brought forth Gaara's cold demeanor in a deadly fight with three genins from the rain village. Hinata could still remember the male's expressionless face when he empowered the young men with his 'desert coffin.' Gaara had thirst for blood then - mercilessly squeezing the life out of the genins with his 'desert graveyard' while contentedly spattering his chakra-filled sand with blood.

It was most unfortunate that the scene had such pronounced impact on Hinata's memory. Without a doubt, the very sight of the Kazekage brought overwhelming fear to her. She could feel herself swaying slightly as she stood before the shrine.

Gaara narrowed his eyes ever so subtly. He had sensed his bride's apprehension. For a moment, he wondered if it was even wise to proceed with the wedding.

As he slowly walked toward the shrine that had been specially placed in the small hall for the ceremony, Gaara's eyes caught Baki's. His ex-sensei, like Kankuro and the dozen other council members present there, was also wearing a black, wind-crested overcoat over a formal kimono. Baki only nodded in relief, concealing the fact that barely five minutes ago, he too, had been afraid that Gaara might not show up.

The Kazekage sauntered forward. It was too late to call the wedding off - not after all the laborious preparation… not in the presence of so many honored guests.

When he finally came to stand beside the bride, Gaara clenched his jaws and briefly closed his eyes. His bride had taken a step back in trepidation before her father had caught her and quietly tugged her back in place. Again, the red-haired leader wondered if it was even prudent to continue…

By then, the sound of drums and flutes came to a halt.

One way or another, the Kazekage knew that the wedding had to go on. He had remembered that he had to put the attainment of profound peace to his village before everything… even though he didn't believe his marriage would play any significant role in the achievement. Nevertheless, he was willing to offer that little bit of hope to his people. His new wife would have to learn to overcome her fears…

%%%

It was a most lavish feast.

Consequently, not only were all the seats in the main hall taken up, the attendants had to add another thirty more tables and many more seats to accommodate the guests that had decided to show up for the reception. From the most honored leaders of villages to the ordinary peasants, people have decided to show up either to congratulate the Kazekage and his wife or to play witness to the wedding or just simply to relish the sumptuous feast.

There were dishes of grilled meat, barbecued meat and specially stewed meat of different animals being served. These were accompanied by rice that had been fried with exotic spices found only in the desert, topped with selected dried fruits and nuts. Then, came a big platter of what appeared to be a young goat for every table. The kid had been roasted to perfection with special herbs before being drenched in honey gathered from wild desert flowers.

"Curry!" Konoha's Rock Lee exclaimed when chicken curry was presented. The dish had always been the male's favorite. The taijutsu specialist couldn't help giving a comical grin when he ladled some of Sunagakure's ever-so-spicy curry onto his bowl of fried rice.

Incidentally, Lee had also sacrificed his favorite green jumpsuit for a formal kimono. He wasn't the only one. Naruto had instructed all those who will be attending the wedding to wear accordingly. Other than the blue-eyed Hokage and his pink-haired wife, all other guests from the leaf village had also donned formal kimonos. The Hyuga too were wearing their formal, white Hyuga robes.

As the feast continued, the servants brought in baked corns, served with a good helping of goat cheese and desert salt. Then, there were bean cakes and dried rose desserts with fresh figs. The food was further enhanced by a free flow of dried pear wine and fresh goat's milk with honey.

Suna had exceeded all expectations… The advisory council had been more than thorough with all the preparations. The banquet had not only beautifully presented the wind village's culinary skills and competence, it had also served to mirror the people's hospitality to their guests and the Kazekage's generosity to his people. They couldn't have done any better.

"Wow, this is a real feast!" Ino marveled.

Taking a sip of wine, Kiba laughed before taunting, "Yeah, too bad you're on a diet."

"She's always on a diet," Choji added before taking a big bite off his piece of bean cake and swallowing it down with goat's milk. "Why can't you understand that not all guys like skinny girls?" the generously-proportioned Akimichi further commented before reaching for a fig.

Ino didn't want to argue like she normally would. The food before them was too tempting. The green-eyed Yamanaka knew that it would be ridiculous disputing over her diet at such a time.

"Lee! Are you still eating curry?" the lady asked, trying to change the subject at hand.

The over-enthusiastic Lee could only offer a silly smile before shoving more chicken curry into his mouth.

"You'll end up like Choji if you keep eating like that!" the Yamanaka criticized.

"What do you mean…" Choji started.

"We don't find this type of honey in Konoha," Shino suddenly uttered, giving the conversation around the table a change of topic. The quiet Aburame had been most fascinated with the wild flowers' honey served on the roasted mutton. "It's collected by bees found only in the desert."

"Doesn't really matter to me," Kiba said before pouring more wine into his glass. The Inuzuka was enjoying his fourth glass of dried pear wine.

"I saw bees on some yellow-coloured flowers near the entrance yesterday. They looked different from those we find in Konoha," Sai offered. The artist ninja had always been observant of the things around. "The flowers were different too, they…"

"I saw those!" Ino interrupted. "I don't think they can last in other places. Desert flowers are just so different."

"Just like those on the groom's table," Ten Ten commented as she tilted her head toward the main table. "They're just so beautiful."

Everyone around the table turned their heads to glimpse the flowers on the head table not very far away. Incidentally, they also glanced at the groom and his bride.

"Hinata is so stunning," Ten Ten sighed. "I hope she'll be happy here."

"We'll miss her," Kiba uttered, giving his large ninja dog that was leaning on his seat, a good rub on its head. "I swear to you guys if Gaara ever mistreats her, I'll kill him."

"Yeah, you'll be dead, wrapped in a sand coffin or choked to death with sand stuffed down your throat before you know," Ino jeered.

"Guys… Gaara is not a bad person," a zealous Lee defended, finally stuffed full with curry.

"Like you know him so well, Lee," Ino countered. "I thought he was the one who broke your hands and legs during the Chunin exams."

"One hand and a leg," Lee corrected. "But he has changed since then."

"Well, we went on a mission to rescue the Kazekage many years ago," Ten Ten further related. "That was when the Akatsuki extracted the one-tailed beast from Gaara, remember? You should have seen what the people of Suna thought of him then. They loved him. They really do."

Lee nodded enthusiastically.

"I don't know…" Ino finally emitted. "What do you think, Shikamaru?"

The Nara, with his hair tied into its usual tight spiky ponytail, only shrugged.

"Is something wrong?" Ino quietly asked. "You've been really quiet the whole time."

Shikamaru gave a sigh before reaching for a fig. He didn't really feel like talking.

Nevertheless, Ino wasn't going to let her teammate wave a question off that easily. The Yamanaka could sense that something was amiss. Shikamaru was never _that_ quiet. Subsequently, she leaned closer. She was really curious about the shadow wielder's behavior.

Then, just as Ino was about to query further, a gong went off. It was time for the bride and groom to sign their wedding contract. Aas a result, all heads turned towards the head table that had been placed on a raised platform.

As two servants hastily cleared the dishes before the couple, a member of Sunagakure's advisory council, along with another representative from Konohagakure carefully arranged two scrolls and three blades onto the table. Understandably, Gaara and his bride will have to mark their marriage consent with blood while Konoha's Hokage act as a mediator. Thence, Naruto will also have to leave a blood mark on each scroll. It wasn't just a normal contract between two people. The nuptial will also act as a peace pledge between the two villages – Konoha and Suna… leaf and sand.

Consciously, the Kazekage steadily took the small blade that was placed beside the scroll. Following his lead, Hinata too, reached for a blade. They both made a slit on their thumbs and watched as fresh blood came through the cuts.

All the noises within the hall died down as everyone looked on.

The red-haired leader casually pressed his thumb onto one of the scrolls, above his name. Hinata however, swayed a little in her seat. Everything around her was starting to spin. Her short delay made Gaara tilt his head toward her. At that point, he wondered if his bride was considering otherwise.

The ceremony and reception had been more than an elaborate affair. In addition to that, Hinata had yet to recover from her light-headedness accrued from the traveling and all the preparations since the night before. She could no longer maintain composure. Under the highly-structured wedding kimono, her body was also heating up. Hence, as the bride lifted her thumb, her body gave way.

Hinata fainted before she could leave her blood on the scroll…

**A/N : I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have reviewed chapter 1, (specially extending my thanks to katiekityahoo, who is an anonymous reviewer – thank you so much for the compliment. In truth, this is a solo performance yet, I have to admit that I am still struggling with proper English. Nevertheless, I'm glad you've enjoyed both my stories.). **

**Your compliments have been more than encouraging. I actually felt bad making you guys wait this long before I post this second chapter. Fact is, I'm still working on a plot for this. So, please be patient with me and drop me a line if you think it's worth the read. Thanks!**

**- softwinds -**


	3. The First Night

I do not own Naruto…

Gaara stood before the earthy-colored wooden door… Never in his life had he been hesitant to enter his very own room.

**Recap : **

_Hinata fainted before she could leave her blood on the scroll…_

**The First Night**

In the midst of soft murmurs, Hinata slowly opened her eyes. It appeared that she had been lying unconscious on a straw sofa in the spacious changing room that she had been in earlier.

Being the first to notice that the bride had stirred, Kurenai quickly walked up to crouch beside the lady. "Hinata, how are you feeling?" the ex-sensei asked in her caring, motherly tone.

"I… I'm okay," Hinata quietly answered.

"You've got heat exhaustion, Hinata," Sakura said as she too came up to crouch at the side of the bride while Hanabi and Ino came to stand beside her. "We had to loosen your clothing," the pink-haired lady added. "You were burning up."

Hinata quietly nodded her thanks.

"Shouldn't she get back to the hall?" Ino warily asked.

"I don't think she could," Sakura started in her professional medical tone. "She needs to rest. The whole event was too much for her. Hinata's more than exhausted and her pulse is still a bit weak..." the medic tried to explain before she was interrupted by a knock at the door.

As the door opened slightly, Naruto poked his head in. "How is she, Sakura?" the blonde-haired Hokage asked.

"She has just awoken," Sakura answered.

"Good! Then she can get back to the hall," Naruto happily stated. "We're still waiting for her to leave her blood print on the contract.

"Sakura said we should allow Hinata to rest first, Hokage-sama," Kurenai reasoned as she stood up.

"Yeah, Naruto…" the pink-haired lady explained. "She was close to having a heat stroke just now. I don't think she should get back to the hall at all."

"They can always sign the papers another day, I'm sure," Hanabi offered.

"Did Gaara send you over?" Sakura asked.

"Nah, Gaara's busy with the Raikage and the reps from Kiri. I just thought I'd drop in to see how Hinata's doing."

"I should get back to the hall," Hinata softly uttered as she tried to sit up. She wasn't aware that her body was still too frail for that simple task. In her attempt to get up, she could feel the room actually starting to spin. Unable to hold herself up, Hinata fell back onto the sofa.

"You shouldn't try to get up, Hinata," Sakura advised as she reached for a glass of water and offered it to her while Hanabi helped to hold her sister up. "Here, you need to drink a lot of water."

"I think we should bring her to her room instead. She should really lie down and take a good rest," Kurenai suggested.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Hanabi agreed as she and Ino started taking down the bride's headdress and wig, hastily brushing Hinata's hair till it looked acceptably neat.

"I'll carry her," came Shikamaru's voice as the male slowly stepped into the spacious room. Apparently, the shadow wielder had been standing beside the Hokage, just outside the room.

Nobody was more surprised at the Nara's offer than Ino. Having been teammates with him for years, the green-eyed lady knew that Shikamaru was never one who would actually volunteer to help, preferring to stand aside to watch more than actually getting into action. His sudden offer caught Ino off guard. The Yamanaka was more than curious. She had been certain that something was actually bothering her teammate. Then, Ino quietly gasped when realization dawned upon her – Shikamaru must have had some feelings for Hinata… His silence would have been his way to conceal his broken spirit.

"Do you know where the room is?" Hanabi asked.

"I'll bring you," Temari offered as she sauntered into the room. The blonde-haired jounin gave a light bow before turning to the Nara. "You can carry her. I'll lead."

Consequently, Shikamaru nodded gingerly before walking towards Hinata. He exchanged a silent smile with the Kazekage's bride before bending over to carry her up, one arm around the lady's back while the other under her knees. Naturally, Hinata's arms went around the shadow wielder's neck for support. The Nara quietly inhaled before turning to leave.

"Thank you, Shikamaru," Hinata uttered weakly.

The shadow wielder nodded briefly, avoiding the bride's eyes.

"I'll go with you," Hinata's ex-sensei said. "Hanabi, you and Ino should get back to the hall. Let Hiashi-san know that Hinata will not be going back for the reception... And I think you should accompany the Hokage back too, Sakura."

The pink-haired lady nodded. "She's going to be fine."

"Suna's temperature will start to drop very soon. She'll be nice and cool in no time," Temari offered as she turned her head towards the bride, all the while wondering if it was too soon to pass any judgment on Hinata's weakly wellbeing...

%%%

As it turned out, Gaara and his sibling's residence were attached to the Kazekage tower. After leaving the main hall through a side door, Temari led Shikamaru, Hinata and Kurenai into the tower, making a turn on the second floor towards a more private place of abode. Ascending another two flights of stairs, they passed a few rooms before coming to a halt in front of one with an earthy-colored wooden door. Temari casually opened the door that led to the Kazekage's room.

It was a spacious room with a living area furnished with a set of straw settee and table. As Hinata tiredly looked around, something at the side of the settee caught her eyes - _Gaara's sand gourd_. Suddenly shaken awake by what she had just found, she tightened her hold on Shikamaru's neck, a sudden fear passing through her. Her marriage to the man had not felt as real as it was until that very moment. She had feared Gaara, feared what he was capable of doing… _feared the man with the sand gourd_. For the hundredth time since she was informed of the arrangement, Hinata wondered if she will ever outgrow her fears. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes to calm herself. Her fate had been sealed when her father had agreed to the arrangement. Somehow, there was no turning back…

As he carried her, Shikamaru could feel Hinata's sudden anxiety. The shadow wielder wondered if the sight of the Kazekage's room had brought about the fear. She must have realized what was coming. It was the wedding night. Everything that had taken place so far was only for formalities. The real part to the whole arrangement was imminent… _consummation._

With a little hesitation, the shadow wielder carried Hinata over to the large bed at the corner of the room. Slowly, he lowered her onto the bed - _Gaara's bed_. For a moment, it felt like he was placing Hinata on a sacrificial altar. The Nara could feel a tinge of loss cruising through him. He was paying a high price for not taking the initiative to woo Hinata when he had the chance to. He had realized his feelings for her a lot earlier but had not attempted anything at all since. He had blamed it on his languid nature when it became apparent that he was too late…

As she lay on the bed, Hinata quietly thanked Shikamaru. In normal circumstances, she would have blushed furiously at their close proximity earlier. However, her situation at the moment was simply one of fear and utter exhaustion. All Hinata wanted to do then was to close her eyes, fall asleep and hope that when she wakes up, the whole affair would have only been a dream.

"We should leave now, Shikamaru," Kurenai stated, inwardly aware that the state of affairs was stressful for the shadow wielder.

The beautiful red-eyed lady knew how Shikamaru felt towards her ex-student. She was aware that he had developed feelings for Hinata during the time they had helped her take care of her five-year-old son. It wasn't obvious at the beginning until Kurenai found the reason why Shikamaru tended to stay much longer whenever Hinata was around…

She would have encouraged him to pursue the young lady. It had felt so right then. Through the years, Kurenai had grown to appreciate the Nara's presence. Since Asuma's death, the young man had dutifully taken up the responsibilities of caring for her and her son. It was a promise he had made to his ex-sensei and he had responsibly lived up to that promise. Kurenai had thought that the least she could do for him was to help him court her ex-student.

It would have been wonderful if Shikamaru and Hinata had actually ended up together. The bride before her was also her favorite student. Without a mother to care for her, Hinata had always looked up to Kurenai for support and comfort. Over the years, they had become closer than she would have anticipated. The ex-sensei was more than fond of the young lady. Hinata was like a daughter to her.

Nevertheless, just before she thought she could help pull some strings, news came about the offer for an arranged marriage for Hinata. Kurenai knew that Hyuga Hiashi would not refuse the proposal. The Hyuga leader had always thought his eldest daughter to be weak. The sudden offer had been more than what he would have bargained for, for one as delicate as Hinata. His daughter was to marry Gaara, Kazekage of Sunagakure, leader to the hidden village of the sand…

Although Shikamaru didn't really show it, Kurenai knew that his hopes had been dampened with the arrangements. The shadow wielder had not shown up in her house whenever Hinata was around since the day he heard the news, almost a month ago. In fact, he had been pretty quiet since then. In reality, Hinata's ex-sensei had been doubtful that he would even show up in Suna for the wedding.

As they started to leave the room, Kurenai felt that it was probably best for Shikamaru to have been the one to carry Hinata into the room. That way, he would realize that there wasn't anything else he could do. He would have to let go. The red-eyed lady felt that perhaps, it was time for the shadow to find another source of light…

"I'll come with you guys," Temari offered. "Don't want you people to get lost along the way.

Shikamaru snorted. "Like that will happen."

"Well, I know you're Konoha's genius but, there are times when even geniuses could lose their way, _especially_ here in the Kazekage tower," the blonde-haired lady said before striding ahead in an overbearing way. "…And I don't want to have to come to rescue you later."

The Nara rolled his eyes. "Some women can be really interfering," he said, shaking his head as he grudgingly followed the fan mistress back toward the reception hall.

Kurenai could only smile at the exchange.

%%%

Gaara stood before the earthy-colored wooden door… Never in his life had he been hesitant to enter his very own room.

It was way past three in the morning and all the other guests have retired to their respective places of accommodation. Predictably, throughout the reception, the Kazekage have had to entertain countless subtle carnal innuendos. He had expected the intimations since it was his wedding day and had actually forced himself to smile even though he found the subject to be humorless... almost unanticipated. Yet, even Kankuro had been eagerly reminding him of what was to come. At the end, the red-haired male had had to give his brother one of his more intimidating stares. Even though the elder male wasn't actually terrified, it had at the very least, helped to hush the puppet master down a little.

Reluctantly, after a full minute, Gaara entered his room. Quietly closing the door, he briefly glimpsed the figure that was on his bed before taking off his overcoat. His bride was asleep. Without making a sound, he slowly retrieved his clothes from a large cupboard before sauntering toward the bathroom.

When he finally emerged from his bath, Gaara wasn't wearing his night clothes. Instead, he had changed into his usual long-sleeved, red, robe-like coat and a pair of black trousers. Again, without making any sound, the red-haired male quietly walked toward the bed. He thought he'd take the opportunity to glance at the one that had become his wife.

Standing beside the sleeping lady, the Kazekage allowed himself to peruse his bride's features. With her eyes closed, he observed Hinata's long dark lashes. Privately, he wondered what it would be like to actually look into her eyes – the glass-like eyes that are the characteristics of the Hyuga.

As he continued staring, he felt faintly enchanted by the dark lustrous hair that framed the sleeping lady's face. The color of the hair contrasted greatly with her fair skin. Yet it was such contrast that seemed to make her look special… _captivating_. Somehow, she seemed to look nothing like how he had remembered her as.

Admittedly, Gaara had never paid attention to other ladies' appearances. Hinata was the first. Nevertheless, he could reckon that his bride has a smooth complexion, beautiful lips and a well-shaped nose. Through the loosened kimono that had shifted slightly, he was also made aware that his new wife has a well-endowed body. Even while she was sleeping, Gaara had to admit that his siblings had been right - Hinata _is_ beautiful.

When Kankuro and Temari first cited her as his future wife, he could only recall a soft-spoken, almost unremarkable young girl with short hair. He remembered she had fought her cousin during the chunin exams and could call to mind how she had nearly died during the match due to her incompetence. She was much weaker than her cousin... an insignificant individual, if not for her persistence. Surprisingly, the young girl did possess some unrelenting qualities. However, Gaara wondered if Hinata had improved since then. He would have hoped so.

Finally tearing his eyes away from his sleeping bride, the Kazekage pulled his purplish grey vest over his coat. He then quietly walked over to his sand gourd and strapped it over his back before ambling towards the door. Then, darting another glance at the one that had become his wife, Gaara quietly turned and left the room…

**A/N: I won't be posting the next chapter until after December. Sorry for any inconvenience caused. I just want to take the opportunity to break away from writing (I can get so addicted to it), to spend more quality time with my family. **

**Anyway, for those who are also readers of my other stories, I will only take the break after I post Chapter 12 of ****_Where Are the Stars_****. **

**Before I leave, I'd like to thank those who have reviewed my previous chapters. Thanks again Katiekit for the pointers. It was most useful and greatly appreciated. And Brianna, since I can't get to your account, thanks for your review too. **

**- softwinds **


	4. One Month

I do not own Naruto…

Looking around the room again, Hinata suddenly remembered something. _Gaara's sand gourd!_ …It was gone. There was nothing beside the settee. Grasping that fact, she realized that Gaara had actually been in the room while she was sleeping. All of a sudden, she panicked, consciously pulling her kimono tighter in a desperate attempt to still her thoughts.

**Recap:**

_Finally tearing his eyes away from his sleeping bride, the Kazekage pulled his purplish grey vest over his coat. He then quietly walked over to his sand gourd and strapped it over his back before ambling towards the door. Then, darting another glance at the one that had become his wife, Gaara quietly turned and left the room…_

**One Month **

The Kazekage stood up and slowly turned towards a window behind his desk. Dawn was settling into Sunagakure. Looking out, he could see the first light of the day shining weakly upon the village. Everything was quiet… peaceful. It was funny to know that barely a few hours ago, the village had been caught in one of the liveliest event Suna had ever seen - a celebration that had far exceeded any he had held before. Ironically, even though the main focus of the celebration was on him and his bride, he hadn't enjoyed the whole affair.

Exhaling aloud, Gaara closed his eyes. He is married now... he has a wife. Somehow, the thought didn't go down well with him. He hadn't wanted that. It had felt as if he was forced into it and Suna's peace had been the excuse. The village was already peaceful enough, he thought, as he opened his eyes and looked out of the window again. Why hadn't he countered the whole arrangement?

As he turned around, his eyes fell upon two scrolls on the table – _the marriage contract._ Gaara narrowed his eyes briefly before gradually reaching out for one of them and opening it. Other than the regulations of the agreement and the assigned names below, the document was ineffective. There was no blood consent on it. He understood that the other scroll was also as ineffective since his blood mark was the only imprint made out of the three that was needed. Slowly, he rolled the scroll up again and placed both of them onto the side of his table.

Going back to his seat behind his desk, Gaara wondered if Hyuga Hinata was also a reluctant participant in the whole arrangement. He had sensed her apprehension earlier during the ceremony. He was quite sure she had taken a step back when he came to stand beside her in front of the shrine… She was afraid of him. He could feel her fear and thought he understood why. He had been a beast - a heartless, blood-thirsty beast… One that had killed without remorse, one that was not worthy of love. Even though it had been many years since he had killed an innocent person, he hadn't been able to forgive himself for his previous wrongdoings. That was the reason he had chosen to become the Kazekage to Suna. It was his way of repentance. He needed to start protecting the people in his village. He needed their forgiveness…

As he continued thinking, he wondered why the Hyuga lady had even agreed to marry him in the first place. He also wondered whether his bride had actually fainted during the ceremony. She could have feigned the whole thing so as to delay leaving her blood print on the marriage contract. He wouldn't be surprised if that was the reason. Again, he couldn't blame her. Maybe, his bride had also been forced into the marriage. Maybe she was as unwilling as he was…

As he sat thinking, Gaara slowly closed his eyes, the insomniac within him giving way to exhaustion. He was actually tired – tired from all the preparations for the wedding; tired from playing host to all the honored guests; tired from trying to smile too many times when all he wanted to do was to frown and be left alone; tired from all the mindless thoughts that had passed through his head the past few weeks.

Subsequently, as he sat, he tried to contemplate a way out of his current state of affairs. He needed to be fair to his new bride and also to himself… Little by little, he formed a plan. Since the contract was not effective, he thought he will give his marriage a trial period. That would be the most reasonable solution to the imposed situation he and the Hyuga lady had been put into. He would give Hyuga Hinata a chance to annul the nuptials... He would give himself a chance to call the marriage off. Gaara's lips curved into a crooked smile just before oblivion overtook him. …One month, he thought. _He would give them one month…_

%%%

Hinata blinked a few times before slowly opening her eyes to the bright ray of sunlight coming through the opened windows. She had been more than exhausted the day before and had slept deeply throughout the night. It took a while before she recognized where she was. Suddenly aware that she had been lying on the Kazekage's bed, she instantly sat up on full alert before frantically turning around. Gaara wasn't lying beside her. He was no where in sight. Hinata had to take a few deep breaths to calm herself.

Many seconds passed before the new wife furtively stepped out of the bed, all the while pulling her clothes ever so tightly around her chest. She was still in her wedding kimono. She understood that she had to get changed and start acting appropriately. It was her first morning as someone's wife. She didn't want to look inept.

Quietly, she scanned the room. It was curved on one side, a typical feature within all the rounded buildings in the sand village. She had to admit that the room looked comfortably cozy. As she ambled towards one of the five small rounded windows, she could see the village before her. Tower-like buildings and dome-shaped ones of different heights and sizes could be seen everywhere. Sunagakure is different from all the other villages she had been to. Unique as it is, it is nothing like Konoha.

Curiously, Hinata placed a hand on a wall. She had wanted to do that ever since they arrived in the place. Hardened sand – the walls, like all the other structures in the village were made of hardened sand. She smiled at the discovery, completely in awe with the place. This village hidden in the sand was going to be her new home. It was going to be a new beginning, a new adventure. For a moment, she felt excited, almost eager to explore the place.

Looking around the room again, Hinata suddenly remembered something. Gaara's sand gourd! _…It was gone!_ There was nothing beside the settee. Grasping that fact, she realized that Gaara had actually been in the room while she was sleeping. All of a sudden, she panicked, consciously pulling her kimono even tighter in a desperate attempt to still her thoughts.

She couldn't recall Gaara lying beside her at all since she had been too soundly asleep. For a moment, she wondered if he actually did. Then, she blushed at the thought, deducing the fact that he might have and had probably gotten up early for… breakfast… training… or… mission assignments? Somehow, she knew she was making up excuses to ease herself.

Nevertheless, even though she was afraid of the red-haired leader and wasn't really looking forward to getting too acquainted yet, she was aware that she had to start carrying out her duties as a wife. In any case, she had been brought up a Hyuga. And all Hyuga women have been taught to treat and serve their husbands with great respect and devotion which, in her case is especially relevant since her husband happened to be the Kazekage, leader to the Hidden Village of the Sand. _Great respect_, she would willingly adhere without hesitance. _Devotion_… she knew she still has a lot to learn.

Taking a deep breath, Hinata quickly gathered her things before shuffling into the bathroom. She knew that time would not stand still as she whiled her thoughts away. She had to get ready for the day. She had to move into what had become her future. In her mind, she already knew what the first thing she had to do was – she had to leave her blood print on the wedding contract…

%%%

"I didn't get to try the roasted meat yesterday," Temari said before casually opening the door to the Kazekage's office.

"What a pity. It was really good," Baki said as he followed the blonde-haired kunoichi into the room. "Goes quite well with the wi…" his voice trailed off when the former sensei spotted Gaara sitting upright behind his desk with his eyes closed.

Temari was also taken aback at the sight. It wasn't the Kazekage's sleeping position that surprised them since the two had seen him in that pose before. They just hadn't expected his presence at that time and were disappointed to see that he had actually fallen asleep in the office when he should actually be sleeping in his room… on his bed… and with his wife.

"_Gaara_…" the elder sister called in a disappointed tone, her shoulders hunched as she walked towards her brother.

Then, just before the blonde-haired kunoichi could place a hand on her brother's shoulder in an attempt to wake him, Gaara grabbed her wrist. It was an automatic alert reaction. Slowly opening his eyes, he breathed in deeply before releasing his grip when he realized who the person before him was.

"What are you doing here?" Temari asked.

The Kazekage didn't answer as he closed his eyes again and took another deep breath.

"Gaara… you're married now," the elder sister started. "For goodness sake, you should be in your room."

"I wasn't feeling tired before this…" Gaara said collectedly.

"_It's not that!_ It's… it's… Baki… why don't you tell him what he's supposed to do?"

"What? …Um… I… Gaara-sama… Gaara..." the jounin stammered.

"Most of the guests would be leaving soon…" the red-haired leader said calmly as he opened his eyes and casually leaned forward, clasping both his hands and placing them on the table. "We should adjourn to the gates," Gaara said, heedlessly changing the topic of discussion.

"Uh… yes, off course," Baki uttered in relief. He didn't really want to explain to the Kazekage what he was supposed to do. All the same, he was quite sure Gaara wasn't that naive too. It would be ridiculous to try to explain to an adult about what was to be expected of him when he got married. It would sound even more ludicrous explaining about the birds and the bees to someone who is actually a leader to a whole village. Again, Baki was sure that the red-haired leader was more knowledgeable in that field than he would let out.

Consequently, Gaara nonchalantly stood up to retrieve his sand gourd before turning to leave the room. Baki quickly followed, hoping to get away from being put into another _intricate_ situation.

"_Baki!_ …Gaara…" Temari called, frustrated by the lack of interest the two were displaying. She knew her younger brother was trying to avoid a full confrontation. Then again, like their ex-sensei, she was also quite sure that Gaara was fully aware off the marriage acts, consummation and stuffs alike. She just wanted Baki to explain it out-rightly so that her brother couldn't act innocent about the whole arrangement anymore.

Defeated, Temari could only huff aloud and cross her arms before she grudgingly followed the two out of the room.

%%%

Yawning aloud, Kankuro lifted a hand to knock on the earthy-colored wooden door as he walked passed it, only stopping in mid-action when he remembered that Gaara was already married and it would only be wise not to intrude. As he put his hand down, the puppeteer realized that he had to stop practicing what had clearly turned out to be a habit. Waking Gaara up, or more accurately, trying to irritate his all-too-cool younger brother every morning wouldn't be such a good idea anymore – not that he had ever succeeded at that, since most of the time, his red-haired brother was already up and more often than not, he wasn't even in his room.

Grinning cheekily, the elder brother started strolling down the corridor when, hardly five paces away, the door slowly creaked opened. Kankuro turned around immediately, eager to come face-to-face with a married Gaara… eager to exchange knowing smiles with one who had just spent his first night with a wife... eager to find out what had taken place behind the earthy-colored door.

Nevertheless, instead of his brother, a pale-eyed, dark-haired lady cautiously peeped out. Hinata caught her breath when her eyes found Kankuro looking at her from the corridor. Gaara's brother was back in his bunraka puppet attire and he had purple paint drawn in a certain pattern over his face.

However, just before Hinata could disappear back into the room, the puppet master abruptly called, "Kankuro here… remember? …Gaara's elder brother… Your _new_ brother-in-law?"

"Uh… _hai_!" Hinata muttered tentatively. "Goo… good morning, Kankuro…-sama… san."

"Well…" the puppeteer started with a sigh. "Let's just put it this way. Gaara calls me by my name. So, you should call me by my name too and… don't expect me to address you as _Hinata-sama,_ okay?"

Hinata nodded meekly, not meeting Kankuro's eyes.

"No matter what…" the brother-in-law continued. "…even if you _were _the Hyuga heiress and are now, the wife to the Kazekage, _which off course is my very own brother_, I'd prefer being more casual… Okay?"

"O… okay…" Hinata nodded again.

"Oh, come on… Do I look frightening? …Are you afraid of me?"

The new sister-in-law nodded slightly before quickly shaking her head.

"That's better… so… Gaara's still sleeping?" Kankuro said as he sneakily tried to peep into his brother's room.

"Um… no… he… um…" Hinata stammered, still not meeting the puppet expert's curious eyes.

"He left early?"

"Ye… I… I think so… I… I didn't…"

"Come on... I'm not going to eat you up," the brother-in-law beseeched, a little exasperated by Hinata's inhibited attitude. "Just speak up."

"Gaara… he… I… I don't really know… I… I didn't see him at all," Hinata stammered before consciously lifting her head to finally look at Kankuro.

"You mean you didn't see him at all? Well, that's weird… We came back together last night."

"Ac… actually, I think he came in but… but I was asleep and… and I didn't know…"

"...My brother could have raped you," the puppet expert carelessly joked, immediately regretting his words when he spotted the horror-struck look on his brother's new wife and how Hinata was grabbing on to the front of her sweater. "Hey, hey… I was joking, okay?" he quickly added.

Hinata had to take a few deep breaths to calm herself. To start with, she was already afraid of her red-haired husband. The puppet expert's comments unexpectedly added another load of worries into her mind.

"Are you… okay now?" the brother-in-law cautiously asked, suddenly wondering if he and Temari had actually made a mistake in picking the Hyuga heiress as Gaara's wife.

Nevertheless, when the lady before him met his eyes again and forced a smile, Kankuro's uncertainty melted away. He had to admit that Hinata was one of the most beautiful ladies he had ever come across. Even though she was a little too bashful for comfort, she looked everything an heiress would look like – graciously sweet, subtly elegant… and strikingly attractive. For a moment, the elder brother couldn't help smiling. He was sure that one of these days, Gaara will have to thank him and Temari for their choice.

Finally sighing with satisfaction, the puppet master casually asked, "Want to go down for breakfast together?"

With that, Hinata's smile broadened into a more genuine one. She had been hoping to find someone to lead her around her new home and Kankuro suddenly seemed the most accommodating person…

**A/N: I just want to take this opportunity to wish all the readers a Happy New Year! Here's wishing that 2011 brings about really good ideas to all writers. Cheers!**

*** Thanks for your review too, Dola!**

**- softwinds -**


	5. Saying Goodbye

I do not own Naruto…

Hinata slowly turned to meet the puppeteer's eyes. At that point of time, she could only choose to hang on to his words…

**Recap: **

_With that, Hinata's smile broadened into a more genuine one. She had been hoping to find someone to lead her around her new home and Kankuro suddenly seemed the most accommodating person…_

**Saying Goodbye**

Kankuro gave a perfunctory knock before opening the door and sauntering into the Kazekage's office. Behind him, Hinata meekly followed.

"He's not here," the puppet expert said before casually walking towards one of the windows and looking out.

"Will… will he be coming in soon?" Hinata asked, almost warily, as her eyes scanned the room. It was large but plainly decorated. Similar to the Kazekage's bedroom, it was curved on one side with many round windows along the wall, overlooking the village.

"I don't know…" Kankuro answered as he turned towards his brother's wife. "Gaara could get really busy sometimes. If he's not in his office, he could be attending a meeting or… he could be looking into the ninja school or… he could be… in the training grounds… or… You know what, I don't really know what he does most of the time," the puppeteer admitted before giving an apologetic smile. "He's just… pretty busy, I guess."

Hinata smiled at the older brother's admission. She could only assume that either the man that has become her husband was a very private person or that the puppet expert just wasn't that familiar with the Kazekage's routine.

"Actually, I… I would like to go say goodbye to my family and friends," the sister-in-law stated quietly.

"Sure! We should go meet up with them."

Hinata nodded lightly before her eyes caught the scrolls on Gaara's desk. She could recognize those as the marriage contracts. Walking towards the desk, she carefully opened both the scrolls before quickly reaching for a kunai from her pouch. By some means, she was glad she didn't have to ask the Kazekage for the documents.

"That eager to be my brother's wife, huh?" Kankuro uttered in jest.

"I… I have to do this…" Hinata softly stated before making a slit on one thumb with the kunai. Then, taking a deep breath, she pressed the thumb onto the documents, all the while silently contemplating the fact that she was actually sealing her future onto two spools of paper.

"You'll be fine here," Kankuro said with a reassuring smile. "Gaara's a good boy… A little puzzling sometimes, but he's good… really."

Hinata slowly turned to meet the puppeteer's eyes. At that point of time, she could only choose to hang on to his words…

%%%

"I didn't expect the Tsuchikage to come in person, you know," Naruto stated enviously when the old leader and five of his assistants' outline finally disappeared into the horizon. "He only sent two reps to _my_ wedding."

"I suppose I… _befriended_ him a little earlier than you, Naruto," Gaara offered in his usual quiet tone. "He was only being courteous."

"Yea, courteous… That guy can be a real foul-mouth."

"It's not nice to say that, Naruto," Sakura said as she walked up to the Hokage while the other Konoha shinobi loitered around the entrance. "We'll be seeing him again soon. Remember Kiri's anniversary celebration?"

"Yea… you'll be attending that right, Gaara?"

The Kazekage didn't answer. Kirigakure's one hundredth water festival was the last thing on his mind at the moment.

"Hey, you've got to be present... You and Hinata. I'll be going with Sakura."

Gaara stayed silent.

"Now don't leave me like that," the blonde-haired Hokage pleaded before he leaned closer to the sand leader. "You know how _friendly_ the Mizukage can be," Naruto whispered.

Again, Gaara continued to be unresponsive.

"Oh, come on. I'm sure Hinata would love to be there…"

"I'll try to be there, Naruto," the red-haired leader finally emitted.

"Great! By the way, I haven't made my mark on the marriage contract."

"Well, the scrolls are…" Baki started.

"…The scrolls are somewhere in the main building," Gaara interrupted calmly. "I have… yet to find them since last night."

"Ah, the wedding night…" Naruto said with a cheeky grin while casually waving a hand down. "I can understand _that_. I guess even one as efficient as you can get a little _neglectful_, huh?"

The Kazekage tried to pull a smile while Baki looked on, baffled. Temari too, narrowed her eyes. She had seen the scrolls on her brother's desk earlier and knew, by the look on her ex-sensei's face that he too had seen them. Inwardly, the wind mistress wondered what her younger brother was trying to conceal.

"I'll send the contract to Konoha as soon as I find them," Gaara said.

"Yeah, better not take too long," Naruto said before Kiba's dog gave a bark.

Turning around, the group spotted Hinata and Kankuro walking towards the entrance with members of the Hyuga family.

"Here comes your wife, Gaara," Naruto emitted. "You're lucky, you know. Hinata's one of the few _real_ ladies… Not one with a temper."

"What do you mean by that?" the Hokage's pink-haired wife asked dangerously.

"I-I mean, Hinata's a nice person, very lady-like and patient and that there are not many girls who are like her…"

"Naruto…?"

"No, no, no. I mean, I think you're like Hinata in-in some ways but-but..."

"_Naruto!"_

"_Never mind about that. I-I love un-lady-like girls… and-and I-I love impatient girls like you_."

"_What_?"

"_Okay-okay… You're strong, you're pretty and-and I love you because…because you're-you're strong and pretty and-and_…" the Hokage gushed in defense before he was ruthlessly punched on the stomach by an obviously aggravated Sakura."

"_Ahh… Sakura-chan_…" the blonde-haired Hokage exclaimed in pain as he held onto his abdomen."

Gaara however, stood unperturbed.

"He said something wrong again, didn't he?" Kiba, who was standing a few paces away asked with a cheeky grin.

"Something about Sakura being strong and pretty," Sai offered.

"She hit the Hokage because he said she's strong and pretty?" Lee asked eagerly. The taijutsu expert was glad to be back in his favorite green jumpsuit.

Sai nodded. "You can never understand how the human mind works," he said plainly. "Sakura hits Naruto when he tells her she's easily irritated and talks too loudly… She also hits him when he says she's strong and pretty."

"Ah! Then, that's how Sakura shows affection," Lee tried to explain. "She's just so full of youthfulness in her. It's actually a good thing to be hit that way."

"It is?" Sai inquired.

"Huh?" Kiba uttered in disbelief, shaking his head at the same time. "You two are nuts!"

"Have you only just realised?" Ten Ten said with a sigh.

"You know what, we should really be leaving already," Ino said as she watched Hinata and her family members approaching the entrance.

The green-eyed kunoichi was suddenly concerned about her close friend's feelings. Leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, Shikamaru had yet to utter a word since the group gathered at the entrance that morning. Beside him, Choji was quietly munching on some chips, his expression more serious than normal. It took the Yamanaka a while to realize that her podgy friend might have already known about Shikamaru's feelings towards Hinata much earlier. The Nara could have actually confided in him. All of a sudden, Ino felt a little angry. Why had she only just found out?

"Hey, Hinata…" Kiba called when Hinata finally walked up to the group.

Ino quickly turned around to see how Shikamaru was reacting. The shadow wielder kept his stance while his eyes focused on the Kazekage's wife. He wasn't the only one since Hinata was once again in the centre of attention. Nevertheless, as Ino looked around, another pair of eyes caught her interest – _Gaara's_.

For a moment, the Yamanaka darted glances between Shikamaru and Gaara. Both of them were quietly observing Hinata as she softly conversed with the people around. Nevertheless, while the green-eyed lady could understand her teammate's position, the Kazekage's way of watching was unfathomable to her.

Gaara didn't show any signs of affection or acknowledgement. In fact, he didn't seem to appear like he had gotten to know Hinata in any way at all. For a spell, Ino wondered if the red-haired leader had actually shared a room with his bride the night before. If he had, his facial expression wasn't showing anything. Suna's leader sure was incomprehensible… The Yamanaka couldn't help wondering what was going through Gaara's head. If given the chance, she would really love to get into the man's head.

"This is for you," Sai said as he held out a painting for the Kazekage's wife.

"Uh… thanks, Sai," Hinata said as she reached for the painting.

It was a portrait of her and Gaara. The artist ninja had drawn the couple, standing together in their wedding attire. Every stroke and color seemed to be depicted in photographic detail – every stitch, every fold… even the _kanzashi_ ornaments on her hair was scrupulously drawn. The picture could almost come alive… except for one aspect - their expressions.

Hinata couldn't recall looking that happy throughout the wedding. It was surprising to note that Sai, who is known for his lack of sentiment, could actually come up with such display of emotion in his drawings. She could only remember that she had felt anxious, tired and even scared the day before. Yet, the artist had made her look contented… almost blissful. Gaara's expression was a little startling too. For a spell, she wondered if the Kazekage had actually smiled that cheerfully.

Consequently, Hinata looked up to meet Gaara's eyes. He wasn't standing close enough to see the portrait. In any case, his gaze was on her. She inhaled sharply before quickly turning to Sai.

"Sai, this… this is beautiful," she said earnestly.

"He did one for our wedding too," Sakura related. "You have to admit that he's really good," the pink-haired lady added, proud with the fact that such a talented artist belonged to Konoha.

Sai just stood there without saying a word, his face void of expression.

"Um… where is Kurenai sensei?" Hinata asked as she looked around. "I… I don't see her here."

"She left early this morning," Shikamaru finally spoke as he slowly walked toward the party, both hands in his pockets. "She's worried about little Taro."

As Hinata turned to face the shadow wielder, Shikamaru found himself staring into her eyes a little longer than usual before quickly looking away. He knew he was going to miss her. Nevertheless, he also understood his position from then on. They could only be friends...

With a sigh, the shadow wielder said, "Kurenai wants you to take care of yourself and to write to her often. Here…" he continued as he withdrew a little velvet pouch from his pocket. "She wanted me to pass this to you."

The new bride felt a sudden tug in her heart as she reached for the pouch. As it turned out, her ex-sensei had gotten her a little silver butterfly pendant. Silent tears formed in her eyes as she held the accessory. She already knew she would miss Kurenai a lot. In many ways, the red-eyed sensei was like a mother to her.

"Hey, don't cry now," Kiba pleaded. "It's not like we won't see each other anymore… Right?"

"Yeah, Hinata, we'll see you again very soon, I'm sure," Ten Ten offered. "Konoha's not too far away. We can always come to visit."

The Kazekage's wife forced a smile as she sniffled to suppress a tear. "Take care Ten Ten… Kiba… Shino… Shikama…"

"You take care of yourself, Hinata," Ino quickly intercepted. "We'll see you again soon, okay," she said as she clamped her arms protectively around Choji and Shikamaru, before pulling them around and starting towards the route home. Consequently, there were echoes of goodbyes as one by one, Hinata's shinobi friends and teammates slowly departed.

Unshed tears pooled in her eyes as she watched her friends leave. She felt lost. It was like they were taking a part of her with them… the part that had belonged to Konoha… the part that she had gotten so familiar with, she didn't realize she had taken for granted until that very moment. They were her best experience… her happiest encounter. From then on, she will be starting life on a different platform. One that is different in all entireties… one that includes a red-haired leader…

"Not bad, huh?" Kankuro commented as he came to stand beside his brother's wife, perusing the picture that Sai had presented. "I can get this framed. Gaara could hang it in his office, then."

"Of… office?" Hinata quietly asked.

"I think the bedroom is good enough," Temari reasoned.

"But his office is so empty…"

"You can hang your picture there if you want to," the wind mistress quickly snapped out.

"Sure! But I think a portrait of you in wedding clothes would be much better," Kankuro countered.

"_And what are you trying to imply here?"_ Temari threw back.

"_That Gaara's already married and you're not!"_

"_You're not too! And you're older than him!"_

"_Says the oldest…!"_

"_Guys!"_ Baki cried before forcing a smile. "Please… we're in the presence of some privileged guests here."

Hinata laughed at the exchange, her frame of mind instantly lightened. Somehow, the casual way the sand siblings interact actually made her feel at ease.

On the other hand, Gaara, who was unflustered at the argument, found Hinata's reaction a little unexpected. Since she had been brought up as an heiress, he thought she would be uncomfortable with the unconstrained attitude his siblings had just displayed. If he hadn't already had plans of his own, to get acquainted with his family members would be one of the first things he would have loved to see her do. In some ways, Hinata's unpretentious display of acceptance was actually surprising. Inwardly, Gaara couldn't help feeling pleased.

"Gaara…" Hyuga Hiashi said as he approached the Kazekage. "We're leaving now."

Suna's leader stood face to face with the stolid Hyuga. For a moment, the two seemed to size each other up. Gaara had recognized how the clan leader had purposefully dropped the honorific, calling him by his name with such casualness… Hiashi was quick in claiming authority. The two exchanged gazes before the red-haired leader gave a bow. He had to be respectful… Hyuga Hiashi was still, in literal sense, his _wife's_ father. He understood he had to show respect to the father-in-law…

"What about the compliance in the result of a child?" an elderly Hyuga male asked with an almost dispassionate tone.

"Yasu…" Hinata's father uttered without losing composure as he lifted a hand to quiet the elder.

There was an air of discomfort between the two Hyuga even though they weren't exactly showing any traces of emotions. Gaara, however, sensed the little distress – a disagreement concerning the consequence of a child. Nevertheless, the Kazekage didn't really feel like he would intrude into the matter at the moment. Not when he had other plans…

"I don't really know if I should feel sorry or thankful," Hanabi pouted when she stood face to face with Hinata. "...Or maybe I should be angry…"

"Hanabi-sama…" Neji quietly beseeched.

The Hyuga male knew what the younger sister had meant. She was feeling sorry for her sister because Hinata didn't really have a say about the arranged marriage. Consequently, the younger lady would be named the next heiress now that the elder sister no longer belonged to the clan's constitution. Still, Hanabi had yet to come to terms with her impending status. She was still unsure of whether to be happy with it or to be angry with Hinata for allowing her to be burdened with such responsibilities.

"You'll be fine, Hanabi," Hinata said as she held her sister's hands. "I've always had so much confidence in you. I know you can do it when the time comes. I'm sure you'll be much, much better than me."

"Hinata-sama…" Neji uttered, not eager to hear his cousin demean herself.

"Neji-niisan… thank you for looking after me all these years…" Hinata softly uttered, as she turned to him. "Please help me take care of Hanabi now."

The Hyuga male stood motionless for a while before finally giving a light nod. It was utterly unnecessary for his cousin to ask him for his assistance. He had always made it his responsibility to look after the two sisters.

"Neji… Hanabi, we're leaving now," Hyuga Hiashi called.

They were leaving her to her new home. There were no words of goodbye, their farewell spoken through their eyes. Hinata slowly glanced from her father… to Hanabi… to Neji… Her eyes moved quickly over the few elderly Hyuga before falling on Ko. The dark-haired Hyuga had been her personal guardian since young. She swallowed hard before forcing a smile, channeling her heartfelt thanks through her eyes.

Ko suppressed the urge to say something to Hinata. He really wanted to tell the heiress how proud he was of her. She had blossomed into a beautiful lady… and more. She had come a long way from the timid, self-doubting girl he first had to protect, striving so hard, she actually gained proper respect within the Hyuga clan. Yet, he was only a servant and could only stand quietly as they exchanged silent goodbyes... And so, he put his feelings into his eyes, hoping she could read his thoughts. He was proud of her…

%%%

Tears streamed down her cheeks when the outline of her family finally disappeared into the horizon. From then on, she was no longer a Hyuga. She considered the fact that life could be better in her new home. For a start, she was no longer under close scrutiny of the Hyuga eyes. Since the two villages were entirely different, she wanted to believe that Suna could bring her more joy…

Turning around, Hinata quickly wiped her tears away before forcing a smile. Then, inadvertently, her eyes met Gaara's. They stared into each other's eyes in quiet contemplation. Life after their union was only beginning to roll out…

**A/N: I know I'm going to disappoint because I won't be able to update this story as often anymore. I am truly sorry… I will try to post a chapter whenever possible and hope that you readers be patient with me… **

**And Dola, thanks for the push. I guess I really needed that.**

**- softwinds -**


	6. Friends and Foes

I do not own Naruto…

Then, an unexpected tingling at the back of her neck sent the young lady into a state of alert. It wasn't a strong feeling, yet she could sense the intention meant for her – hatred and…_ murder?_ Swiftly, she turned around to where the emotional cue had come from.

**Recap:**

_Turning around, Hinata quickly wiped her tears away before forcing a smile. Then, inadvertently, her eyes met Gaara's. They stared into each other's eyes in quiet contemplation. Life after their union was only beginning to roll out…_

**Friends and Foes**

"_Oh, finally!"_ Temari cried. "All these weeks of preparations and works... I could sleep for a whole wee…"

"Funny, I didn't see you doing much at all?" Kankuro quipped in interruption.

"What do you mean you didn't see me doing much? Wasn't I the one in charge of guests and accom… Ah… You know what? You've just been too busy putting weight around your waist to actually know what's been happening around, _brother_," the elder sister countered.

"What?" Kankuro said as he hastily rubbed his hands down his chest and around his waist to smoothen his black outfit.

"A little tight, maybe?" Temari jeered.

"Hey, I can't help it, okay. You were the one who put me on food-tasting assignments."

"Food-tasting, Kankuro. _Food-tasting!_ You were supposed to try out the food… the cooking, the taste and the presentation! _Not to really eat whatever's given!_"

"You think it's that easy? There were so many…"

"The food was good," Gaara intercepted calmly. "Everything was beautifully presented last night. Thank you, Kankuro… Temari… You too, Baki."

"You liked it, right?" Kankuro said while Temari smiled, their labor for the past weeks made all the more worthwhile with Gaara's simple comment.

"Suna had been impressive. I need to thank all the council members for their efforts too," the Kazekage acknowledged.

"I believe it was the best we had ever offered, Gaara-sama," Baki commented.

The Kazekage nodded before turning towards Hinata. "You didn't eat much, though."

"I…" Hinata started before quickly looking down, caught off-guard by Gaara's sudden attention on her. It seemed the red-haired leader had actually taken notice of her lack of appetite the day before. "I wasn't… I wasn't feeling very well yesterday," she finally emitted before forcing her head up to meet the Kazekage's light green eyes.

Recalling the events of the night before, Gaara wondered again if Hinata had actually feigned her actions in order to delay her part on the scrolls. He could feel that she had to summon a lot of courage just to look at him. _Is he really that fearful?_

Suppressing a sigh, the Kazekage then turned towards his siblings. "Temari… why don't you and Kankuro show Hyu-ga… Hinata around?"

"We?" Temari asked. "_But, Gaara_…" the blonde-haired kunoichi called just as wisps of sand slowly rose around the red-haired male. The older sister knew what was coming but before she could argue further, the wisps of sand had thickened considerably, encompassing the Kazekage and in the next second, Gaara had simply disappeared through the eddy of sand.

Annoyed at her younger brother's sudden withdrawal, Temari huffed aloud before turning towards Kankuro. The puppet expert only gave a shrug.

"I should be leaving too," Baki uttered as he turned towards Hinata. "We are most pleased to have you as our Kazekage's wife, Hinata-sama," he added with a bow.

Hinata quickly returned the gesture.

"The weather in Suna could be harsh at times," Gaara's ex-sensei continued. "But I'm sure you'll adapt to it very soon… It is also… most advisable for you to become… _familiar_ with our Kazekage," the jounin gently proposed, restraining the seriousness in his tone in order not to sound too assertive. Yet, he knew he had to inform Hinata of her duty from then on. He wondered if she had understood his subtle enlightening. They do have certain expectations from her…

Hinata gave a deep bow this time. Somehow, she had understood Baki's quiet instruction. In truth, she was familiar with such subtleties. Having lived her life as the heiress to the Hyuga clan, she had had to endure expectations that had, oftentimes, been set too high for her to practice. Whenever her father or other elderly Hyugas proved to be disappointed with her, they would resort to quiet, almost unspoken words to show her their disapproval. Over the years, she had learnt to read between the lines of spoken and unspoken words. Subtle enlightening was nothing new to her...

Baki could only anticipate that the lady before him would slowly touch the heart of their reticent leader. He also hoped that the matrimonial arrangements would be beneficial towards Gaara's standing in the village. Then, nodding his leave to Hinata and the two siblings, the ex-sensei disappeared through a twirl of wind.

"_Great! _Just leave everything to us…" Temari started.

"Well, I can show Hinata around if you have other things to do," Kankuro offered.

"I'm free…" Temari drawled. "So, how are you feeling today, Hinata?" the elder sister asked, wondering again if the Hyuga heiress was too weak for life in the desert.

"I… I'm fine… thanks…"

"Temari…" the elder sister offered, "…call me that."

"Te-Temari."

"Ah… She could look over-bearingly unfriendly sometimes…" Kankuro started to tease as he bent toward Hinata.

"She… she's not…" Gaara's new wife gently defended.

"Hah, see that? Hinata's on my side," Temari scoffed, as she placed an arm across Hinata's shoulders.

"She's only being nice…"

"What do you know? We're both girls and… girls should be better in understanding one another."

"Yea, but you're not the normal kind of gi…"

"Another word and I'll blow your puppet's head off when you fall asleep… _tonight_," the older sister warned as she crossed her hands, turned around and sauntered ahead.

"Yea, yea, yea…" Kankuro uttered in mock surrender. "See what I mean? …So, what do you want to do?"

"I just want to look around a little," the Kazekage's wife said as she slowly observed the surrounding buildings.

"Do you like this place?" Temari turned around and casually asked.

"Why do you ask that?" the puppeteer started to argue again. "Off course she likes this place. How could she not like Suna? It's brilliantly set up, it's unique, it's… it's one-of-a-kind… it's…"

"Shut it, Kankuro… I didn't ask you."

Hinata laughed quietly, comprehending the truth that Gaara's two older siblings have a habit of picking on one another. Yet, Kankuro and Temari could only be as snappish as they were because they have a close, unrestricted relationship… A casual kind of bonding that would have been hushed within the Hyuga household she grew up in, where only solemnity and duties existed… A relaxed sort of rapport that she had had little opportunity to explore before this...

It was nearly noon. Yet, the village looked like it was only beginning to wake up, a fact that was probably caused by the extravagant celebration the night before. As the three casually walked through the streets, Hinata quietly scanned her surrounding. She felt enticed by the formation of the buildings around her. Most of the structures were rounded and, if not, were curved on the corners - an attribution to the harsh winds that sometimes brushed by. And that very kind of wind had also been the reason why the dwellings had been built so close to one another. It was for maximum protection, with minimum damage.

Then, as Hinata silently watched some children idly drawing pictures on sandy ground, an overwhelming feeling of amazement rushed through her. She stopped walking and slowly turned in place as her eyes took in everything around her. _She was standing on sand… looking at sand… surrounded by sand! _Everything was formed _with_ sand... and _from_ sand. _Everything!_ She was more than in awe with the whole place. Sunagakure fascinated her to no end. This village hidden in the sand was extremely different from the leaf village she had come from. Yet, she couldn't help falling in love with the place… falling deeply in love.

"Hinata… what are you doing?" Kankuro asked with an impish smile. He knew what the young lady was thinking about. To him, no one could deny the beauty of Suna's rugged assembles.

"I…" the Kazekage's wife started, her face reddened, though more from the intense heat of the scorching sun than from her previous stance.

Then, an unexpected tingling at the back of her neck sent the young lady into a state of alert. It wasn't a strong feeling, yet she could sense the intention meant for her – hatred and…_ murder?_ Swiftly, she turned around to where the emotional cue had come from.

The place was already teeming with villages who had somehow gathered to glance at the Kazekage's new wife. There were people everywhere – talking, whispering or simply standing, staring at her.

Trying not to be too self-conscious with the attention the people were paying her, Hinata slowly scanned the crowd. She knew what she had felt. Yet, she didn't want to look too apprehensive and, perusing her _kekkei genkai_ at the moment might appear offensive... not in a time like this - not in front of a crowd who seemed to be scrutinizing her every move.

"Hinata?" Kankuro asked again, this time, a little concerned. "What are you looking for?"

"Uh… nothing," Hinata stammered just as the murderous intention she had felt slowly faded away. "I was… nothing."

%%%

Hinata couldn't help fidgeting with the documents in hand as she slowly ambled towards the Kazekage's office. Earlier, she had had lunch with Kankuro and Temari in the residential quarters and had retreated to her room to unpack her things, before finally deciding to call on Gaara in his workplace. In any case, she was a new inhabitant to the village and even though the leader there happened to be _her_ _husband_, she thought it would only be proper to actually present herself formally – as a new resident to Sunagakure and, as a new kunoichi to the village's military power.

Subsequently, as she arrived at the door to the office, Hinata held the papers tighter as she took in a few deep breaths. She had to calm herself... Somehow, the thought of coming face to face with the red-haired leader still seemed to distress her. In truth, the two had yet to share a proper conversation… Then, just as she plucked up her courage and lifted a hand to knock, she heard Gaara's voice from within.

"Come in…" the Kazekage instructed.

Gaara's ability to sense her presence didn't surprise her. He _was_ the Kazekage, after all. Inhaling deeply, the young lady pushed the door open and quietly entered the room.

Suna's leader wasn't alone, a sight that Hinata immediately registered and felt thankful for. The only other person in the office, a young lady with long brown hair, turned towards Hinata. The lady stealthily fixed her gaze upon Gaara's new wife before slowly forcing a bow.

Hinata immediately returned the gesture.

"This is Sari," Gaara briefly introduced as he looked up from a file he was reading.

"Sari," Hinata repeated the name with a nervous smile.

"O-sama," the brown-haired lady slowly addressed.

"Hinata-sama," Gaara found himself correcting despite himself. Somehow, he felt that he still had to pay due respect to the dark-haired kunoichi that had become his _wife_. And, his people would also need to know how to address Hinata in a more cordial way... _at least for the moment_.

"Hinata-sama," Sari repeated, enacting an elaborated bow this time.

Hinata gave a light bow before straining another smile. She was feeling a little uncomfortable at the kind of attention and _respect_ Sari seemed to be showing her. In some ways, the brown-haired lady seemed to generate traces of hostility. Hinata wondered if she was being overly-sensitive.

"That's all for now," Gaara said quietly as he placed the file onto his desk and turned towards Sari. "I'll see what we can do about this."

"Uh… yes, Kazekage-sama," the brown-haired jounin said, her eyes darting between Gaara and his wife. "Excuse me, then."

With that, Sari gave a light bow before turning around and slowly ambling out of the room. Nevertheless, just as she closed the door behind her, the brown-haired lady gave a spiteful sneer. For a start, she didn't like the Kazekage's wife and, given the opportunity, she might very well let Hinata know what she felt about her...

The dark-haired kunoichi slowly looked up to meet Gaara's gaze. It was taking her all her self-restraint not to blush and look down.

"Is there something you need?" Gaara quietly asked.

"I… actually, I…" Hinata stammered before quickly moving forward and placing the documents she was holding, onto Gaara's desk. "These… these are my credentials."

The Kazekage spared a glance at the papers before calmly looking up. "These are not necessary," he said.

"I… I thought that it would only… only be proper to…"

"You have barely been here a few days," Gaara interrupted composedly. "Why don't you take time out, look around a little… make friends."

"But…" Hinata started before deciding to keep quiet instead. Maybe she _was_ being a little too formal... Maybe it was time for her to shake off the proper Hyuga within her... Maybe it was time to loosen up.

"Suna has sufficient shinobi for missions at the moment," the red-haired male related after a pause. "It is not necessary for you to offer yourself."

For a moment, the two exchanged glances before Gaara pulled a deep breath and involuntarily shifted his gaze to the marriage contracts on his table. Hinata's eyes followed suit. There was a subtle understanding of what the two spools of papers meant to them. They both understood the situation they had been recently put into. They also understood the awkward state of affairs they were in at the moment.

Suddenly, Hinata was reminded of her newly attained position. Apprehensively, she could call to mind Baki's advice. It wasn't just about leaving her blood print on the documents. There were many more things that come with her acceptance… mainly, her duty as a _wife. _The dark-haired kunoichi unconsciously blushed.

Gaara, however, had other thoughts in mind. He was contemplating on whether or not to enlighten Hinata with his strategy. Should he tell her about his one-month plan? On one hand, if he were to keep his strategy to himself, would that allow the relationship to progress… _naturally?_ He had doubts about the outcome. Yet, the point of having a trial period was to allow the two of them a chance to test their acceptance of each other… a chance to examine their compatibility...

Or maybe, his scheme was just an excuse he had conjured up just to get away from actually falling into marriage practices. All the same, if, in the end, things didn't turn out as it should be, the plan would allow him an opportunity to refuse her and her, an opening to reject him…

On the other hand, if he were to enlighten Hinata about his strategy, they would most probably stay on a more cordial, even reserved kind of association. They would even stay in separate rooms if the situation calls for such needs, until the time ends. After that, Hinata could annul the nuptials with a simple reason that she had not signed the contracts and he too, would not contest the refusal. Ultimately, they would both be free from the matrimonial bindings… Then again, wouldn't that defeat the purpose of the trial itself?

Somehow, he found himself unable to come to any conclusion at the moment. Personally, Gaara would have preferred the last reasoning, though. To him, staying in separate rooms seemed a more comfortable arrangement. He had never before had to share his room with another person, or rather, no one had actually proposed to share a room with him before. Somehow, Hinata had intruded into private space… _his_ private space.

The Kazekage believed that he had been forced into a marriage he didn't want. One way or another, he felt that he was incapable of showing love to anyone except… Temari and Kankuro… Baki… and maybe…, maybe just a few others. But Hinata had been a stranger to him before this. How could he even start to love her? On top of that, the dark-haired kunoichi seemed fearful of him. When will she stop feeling apprehensive?

Before long, Gaara turned his gaze unto Hinata. He could see that she was blushing. The red-haired leader gave a quiet sigh. Perhaps it would be a better idea to keep his plan to himself for now. Perhaps, he would dwell on his scheme for a few more days…

Calmly standing up, Gaara softly asked, "Want to join me for lunch…?"

**A/N: I want to take this opportunity to thank all who have taken time to review the previous chapter and also to apologize for this late, late update. **

**Dola, once again, thanks for the reviews, (although it couldn't really push me into writing earlier). I really had my hands tied up with personal stuffs. **

**As for anon, Shika/Hina is also my favorite pairing. Will try to write another much, much later, though. I think you already know that I am really slow in updating my stories and I am working on two other stories right now. lol!**

**Lastly, for those who might be interested in a Sasu/Hina fic, I've started one simply titled 'If You Ever Know'.**

**Thanks!**

**- softwinds -**


	7. The Desert in the Night

I do not own Naruto…

As she leaned against the round window, Hinata wondered again where Gaara was. He had excused himself after lunch. At that time, she had been relieved to see him leave… He was giving her time to get prepared, she had thought. Then again, how was she supposed to prepare herself?

**Recap: **

_Calmly standing up, Gaara softly asked, "Want to join me for lunch…?" _

**The Desert in the Night **

Hinata nervously peeked at the wall clock for the umpteenth time. That very action was starting to unnerve her. Every time she stole a glance at the clock, her heart would skip a beat. Yet, she couldn't stop herself from glancing. She knew she was getting nearer and nearer to the time when marital practice would take place - s_he was getting closer and closer to the moment when Gaara would enter the room._

She couldn't exactly say she was ready… How could one be mentally prepared for something as sacred and private as consummation? That very thought made the dark-haired lady blush as she tugged at the front of her yukata robe while her other hand rubbed her arm. At this time of the night, the thin cotton material wasn't doing much in keeping her warm.

It was indeed surprising to her at first when Suna's weather conditions changed drastically. From the oppressive heat in the day, the whole atmosphere had turned alarmingly cold as soon as the sun went under the horizon. She hadn't noticed the changes in temperature the days before. Not when she had been too tired and stressed out throughout the wedding preparation and the subsequent ceremony and reception. Nevertheless, even in this cold, the pink, almost translucent, cotton yukata was the only thing she thought suitable for such… _occasion._

When it came to a point where she could no longer tolerate the cold, Hinata quickly stood up to reach for a jacket in the cupboard. _Gaara was taking too long…_ Tentatively, she put her jacket on before shuffling to a window. Outside, the village had fallen into a deep slumber. It was quiet and peaceful. That wasn't surprising since it was already past midnight. She had not anticipated the Kazekage to be that late. Curiosity slowly edged her anxiety away. _Where exactly was Gaara?_

Earlier, she had taken up his offer to join him for lunch. Their walk toward the residential quarters had been a quiet one and as none of them had spoken, there was an overpowering awkwardness between them, or maybe it was just on Hinata's part. Walking alongside the red-haired leader, she couldn't help feeling like a stranger, a total outsider to the man she had just married.

Subsequently, at the dining table, Gaara had eaten quietly. Since she had had lunch with the Kazekage's siblings earlier, Hinata had declined a second helping. However, she was offered a fruit she had never seen before. The fruit was the size of two fists, greenish-pink in color, with short, soft thorns all over it. Once sliced in half, the flesh was a flaring red.

Warily, Hinata had scooped a tiny portion of the fruit with a spoon. Then, putting it into her mouth, she soon realized that it was actually pretty bland in taste.

"Cactus fruit," Gaara had offered, obviously having observed her reaction. Those were his first words since they sat down.

Hinata had gently looked up, a little embarrassed at her cautious response to a fruit. "I… I've never seen anything like this before."

The Kazekage had reacted with a nod. "It's quite tasteless."

"Uh… yea," she had softly answered before Gaara voluntarily reached for the other half of the fruit. Then, using his spoon, he scooped a big piece of the dark red flesh and held it up to his new _wife_.

"You'll need to take bigger bites," he said as he put the fruit into his mouth to illustrate his point. "It's like... tasting liquor…," he offered between chewing. "Take bigger bites… Let it fill up the entire taste buds."

Hinata had watched closely. Privately, she couldn't help noticing how Gaara's hair was of the same color as the dark red juice playing on his lips as he chewed on the fruit. The color was enticing… almost hypnotizing. Then, as she got a hold of herself, she had quietly inhaled before quickly emulating Gaara's actions, filling her mouth with a bigger piece of the fruit. This time, the juiciness of the flesh gave a really refreshing experience as she masticated it. Very soon, she was able to capture the subtle tastes the fruit held.

"There's a little… sourness in it… and… and a sweet, almost… almost syrupy flavor… like rose?" she identified.

Gaara had nodded his agreement before putting the fruit aside and continuing with his lunch. Once again, silence came between them. For a second time, as she quietly chewed on her fruit, Hinata had furtively taken the chance to observe the Kazekage. Her husband was a quiet man, it was obvious. Yet, she couldn't deny the force of preeminence he seemed to produce - a quiet, powerful man… Somehow, she couldn't help relating him to her father. For a spell, she felt like laughing at the irony - she had actually travelled to another village, another land, finally out of the control of a father she had always regarded with trepidation, to be married to a man with the exact traits! She didn't know whether to laugh or cry at her quirk of fate.

Then again as she suppressed her emotions, she allowed her judgment to liberalize. Gaara's quiet nature was hopefully, comparable to that of Shino's, she acquiesced as she quietly forced a smile. Her old teammate was also a person with little words. Quiet and strong… powerful in many ways. She knew that not many people knew the true potency Aburame Shino actually held. But among those who did, only a small amount had survived to actually pass the information to another. She had often felt more than thankful she wasn't on the enemy's side.

Even so, Shino was a far more tolerable person as compared to her father. If Hyuga Hiashi had been dominating, then she couldn't deny that her teammate had been more than encouraging, although sometimes, in very subtle ways. In fact, she had always enjoyed his company and had benefited tremendously from his guidance. The Aburame had been a good friend and was one of the very few who had professed his confidence in her. She couldn't deny how close they had gotten to be - Shino, Kiba and herself. Maybe, it was actually possible to like… or even fall in love with a quiet, powerful person.

Gradually, as Hinata finished her fruit, she had realized that she wasn't as fearful of the red-haired leader as she initially had been. Gaara hadn't looked as intimidating as she had remembered him as. Perhaps, he really wasn't as terrifying… _perhaps_.

As she leaned against the round window, Hinata wondered again where Gaara was. He had excused himself after lunch. At that time, she had been relieved to see him leave… He was giving her time to get prepared, she had thought. Then again, how was she supposed to prepare herself?

_Was the flower bath good enough? …What about the scented oil? What if Gaara didn't like the smell of it? …Will she look more appealing with her hair tied up, or should she just let it down? …Was she supposed to sit on the bed or should she just wait for him on the settee? …Just what would Gaara really want and how exactly would he initiate consummation?_ She was starting to ask too many questions again and all too soon, she had become overly self-conscious, relentlessly tugging at the collar of her jacket and fidgeting with her hair.

Minutes ticked past before the dark-haired lady finally turned away from the window. Once again, the waiting game was putting her on anguish, her heartbeat on overdrive. She wondered if her overtaxed heart would ever go back to beating normally. Then, exhaling aloud, she walked towards the cupboard and took out some clothes to change into. She realized she had to do something before she broke down from her fretfulness. Without more ado, she was pulling her sweater over black blouse and long pants. After zipping up the sweater, she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. When she finally opened her eyes, she fisted her hands and straightened her posture. Then, she headed towards the door and resolutely, reached for the doorknob… _Perhaps it was time for her to go look for the Kazekage._

%%%

Stepping into the terrace at the very top of the Kazekage tower, Hinata quickly realized that Gaara wasn't there. Privately, she couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. _Where else could he be?_

Before this, she had looked in his office. He wasn't there, too. Then, she had remembered Temari saying how Gaara loved to spend his time on the terrace. For a moment, she was so sure she would find him there. Yet, the roomy area was deserted.

Walking towards the edge of the terrace, Hinata allowed the cold night air to stroke her face and hands. Sighing in defeat, she looked around. She hadn't even gotten familiar with the surrounding... and what was she doing, out looking for a husband she hadn't even gotten to know? _It was a silly attempt… she should have stayed in the room._

Nevertheless, that little setback was soon shoved aside when the sight before her slowly gripped her attention. If she had enjoyed looking out from the windows in her room, it was nothing compared to what she could see right now. The whole village was standing before her in a most beautiful assemblage, flanked magnificently by thousands of stars that dotted the sky. She had never seen that many stars before. This barren village that had just become her home seemed to bring out a most startling aspect of night. It was like looking at a very beautiful painting that had come alive. For a moment, she was even convinced that Konoha's artist ninja, Sai, would appear from thin air with a paint brush in hand. The view before her was almost dreamlike. Everywhere she looked, stars twinkled down at her. It felt as if she was actually bonding with night. The feeling was surreal. _How could anything be that beautiful?_ She had goose bumps just standing there, taking in the beauty of the night sky.

It slowly dawned on her why the Kazekage spent so much time on the terrace. She too, wouldn't mind being surrounded by such magnificence every night. The whole embodiment of beauty didn't just captivate her. There was also a deep sense of peace that came with it. At that moment, she felt like she had been blessed. Nothing could go wrong in a place where such beauty resided…

Then, as she let her heart embrace the overpowering peacefulness she so seldom enjoyed, something from a distance caught her attention. Narrowing her eyes, she could see subtle movements beyond the periphery of the village. Out of curiosity, she quietly activated her kekkai genkai, focusing her Byakugan towards whatever activities that were taking place at the far end.

_The desert was moving!_ That was what it had looked like. The sand was literally moving from one side to another, forming little mounds that would grow into hills as it moved and then, descending into leveled ground again ever so quickly. The formation and leveling went on for quite some time before they took on a different pattern of movement. The sand started to shift and ascended into what looked like a giant wave on dry land, moving and finding momentum as it coursed along the desert ground and gaining even more height before surging and finally, falling forward in a frightening assault. She wouldn't be surprised if the sand had produced a loud crashing sound. But from where she was standing, she couldn't hear anything.

Soon, the sand started moving again. This time, it looked like a gale had swirled it up into a cyclone and before she knew it, she had leapt off the terrace, jumped over leveled rooftops and domes and over shops and houses. She was amazed and engrossed but mostly, she was curious. Her heart was beating with a kind of excitement that would equal to that of a child going down a slide for the first time – undoubtedly scared, yet certainly eager. She wanted to know how sand could move that way and wondered why she hadn't felt the strong wind. She also wondered if it was a common occurrence in the desert. She jumped, ran and jumped again, going toward the perilous swirling sand.

When she finally arrived at the border, she hesitated a bit and questioned whether it would be inapt to step out of the village without prior notice. She could see a patrol tower many meters away. Yet no one seemed to have noticed her presence. When her inquisitiveness finally ruled over whatever apprehension she was holding, she straightened her stance and jumped over the perimeter with ease. In consequence, as she landed on raw desert sand, she smiled to herself, realizing immediately that she had never been that bold… _or that fascinated_. The desert and its engagements were becoming a very tempting indulgence.

Then again, almost immediately, she noticed that the desert wasn't moving on its own. There was no gale, no gusting wind and no real threat of a sandstorm. The air around was cold but it wasn't windy enough to form waves and cyclones. She realized she had let herself be drawn out of the village by her curiosity, abandoning her shinobi instincts at the very sight of desert activities - activities that she had thought were a natural occurrence to the place.

Anxiously, Hinata activated her Byakugan again, this time, focusing on the energy found in the rotating windstorm. But as soon as she found the chakra patterns, she faltered a few steps backwards, taken aback by the immense energy found within and around the storm. Someone was obviously manipulating the sand _– someone that was potently powerful_. It didn't take her too long to discern who that someone could be. Consciously, she took a few more steps back. She had just realized how foolish she had been, walking or rather, running and jumping right into what was obviously a very dangerous situation, openly exposing herself to peril.

However, just as she turned around, she could feel wisps of sand slowly surrounding her. The tiny grains swirled around her dangerously, threatening to swathe her as it slowly thickened. At that moment, she realized she had been caught. Scenes from her first chunin exams surfaced in a most frightening way as she once again, recalled how some genins had fallen prey to the same kind of sand. But before she had time to dwell further, the sand around her started to dissipate. At the same time, she could also feel the windstorm subside. She would have exhaled aloud and run right back but before she had time for that, she could sense that the very source of all the powerful, sand-manipulating force was coming toward her. Within seconds, a most formidable person was standing behind her.

She was afraid… _more than afraid_. Yet, she realized that it was too late to run back. Understanding that she had no choice, she straightened her posture, took a deep breath and slowly turned around. Even though she had anticipated what she would see, the very sight of the Kazekage standing right before her still knocked the breath out of her. _Was it just fear or was it admiration?_

Gaara was standing some meters away from her with his hands folded across his front and his sand gourd strapped to his back. He looked calmingly unflustered. Even with all the activities he had executed earlier, he seemed spotless, untouched. _How could he be in such pristine form after carrying out so many actions involving such small particles?_ Hinata could only stare at the man before her with a kind of wonder and trepidation.

Concurrently, Gaara studied the dark-haired lady before him with unpretentious interest. No lady, other than Temari, had ever approached him in the desert while he maneuvered and lived out his sand control. His new _wife_ seemed to possess something more. Was it just plain curiosity or was she bolder than the others? It wouldn't be hard to find out, he thought.

Hence, in a quiet, almost doubtful tone, the Kazekage asked, "Will you fight me…?"

**A/N: Lime - Shikamaru will come into the story again, although not in a big part. I'd like to suggest another story of mine if you'd like – 'Anticipations and Fears.' Anyway, thanks for the review.**

**- softwinds -**


	8. Let's Fight

I do not own Naruto…

Then, suppressing all traces of apprehension, she quietly uttered, "Let's fight."

**Recap:**

_Hence, in a quiet, almost doubtful tone, the Kazekage asked, "Will you fight me…?"_

**Let's Fight**

The desert calmed and comforted him. Gaara was familiar with the sound it carried and the hazard it was capable of forming. Standing on raw desert sand, nothing escaped him – not the tiny desert bugs that dash so quickly across the desert in search of food and shelter; and definitely not the sandstorm that had, just moments ago, shifted the surface of the desert, hundreds of miles away.

He could recognize impending threats long before any enemy come into view. In fact, he actually looked forward to any intimidation, just so that he could satisfy his desire to anything close to a combat. _He had been deprived_ – deprived of a good, satisfying fight ever since they'd achieved peace among the shinobi nations. His own siblings hadn't been helpful in the matter either. Temari seemed to believe that she had better things to do other than to oblige her younger brother with anything close to a spar. Kankuro, on the other hand, believed that his puppet army had been immensely improved ever since the last war. Yet, he would prefer to keep them safe and armed without having to do too much repairing work all the time and, 'safe and armed' is not something he'll often find after exchanging blows with his brother, however _friendly_ the match could be.

True, Naruto would entertain Gaara with an all-out contest whenever possible… or the other way around. But ever since his blonde-haired friend become Hokage and subsequently got married, the chances of them even meeting for a simple sparring session were almost nonexistent.

Even though he had to admit that peace was a good thing, Gaara still couldn't help feeling a little refrained. If he wasn't the Kazekage, he would have personally taken up missions – perilous S-class missions that would involve lots and lots of blood-spilling clashes. Then again, he would start questioning his own sanity at these fleeting thoughts and sometimes wonder if he still held a part of Shukaku within him. He wouldn't be surprised if he did because, even though the one-tailed monster had been removed from his body, he still occasionally thirsted for blood… although more in the form of food rather than human blood spills. _And he still found it difficult to sleep_. His natural control to stay awake at all times since young so as to not allow Shukaku eat away at his soul, had put toll on his wellbeing. Insomnia had been cruelly drilled into his veins.

Nevertheless, Gaara was still a shinobi in all actuality and naturally, he would sometimes have the urge to relive his past experiences, no matter how minor the opportunity. Thence, when the occasion presented itself in the form of his newly wedded _wife_, he couldn't let it slip away without even asking.

He had known it was her from the beginning… He had sensed her energy the very second she stepped foot outside the village. He had felt her essence the very instant she stepped onto desert sand. He couldn't deny he was surprised she would show up but when she turned to leave, he knew he had to stop her.

Hinata almost gasped at Gaara's question. He was asking her for a fight. Trying hard to control her panic alarm from going off, she inhaled slowly and held her breath for as long as she could while her mind reeled with thoughts… unhelpful thoughts.

_The Kazekage was going to kill her._ Briefly, she was sure of that. He was going to kill her with his sand. He would squeeze the life out of her, enjoy seeing her blood spatter all over and then, easily bury her body in the sand. _And nobody would even know or suspect anything._ Suddenly, she realized it had been a deadly mistake on her part to not have notified anybody at all of her exit from the village. At least if she had, she might still be able to save her body from being left to waste, deep in the cold, unfeeling sand...

Nevertheless, as she slowly exhaled, a flash of optimism made its way through her mind. She was suddenly reminded of what Naruto had told her when he first found out that Suna had approached with a marriage proposal. Konoha's leader couldn't hold himself in. He kept punching air with his fist while shouting 'yes' over and over again in front of Hinata and the convoys from Suna. Naruto was clearly more than excited. The whole arrangement was like the greatest thing that had ever taken place between the land of fire and wind. He was willing to openly defend his red-haired friend no matter what. _Gaara was a changed man_, the Hokage had assured. He deserved better judgments… healthier perspectives. And so at that point, she could only pray that the Kazekage was really, simply asking for a spar.

Slowly, Hinata fell into a Hyuga fighting stance, putting one leg forward and bringing her palms up, one before her and the other at the side of her waist. At the same time, she activated her _kekkai genkai_. Even though she understood that Gaara's fighting skills are much more superior to hers, adopting a more positive perspective to the situation, she hoped that her husband would be prudent and heedful of the fight.

Then, suppressing all traces of apprehension, she quietly uttered, "Let's fight."

Gaara almost smiled at what he heard. Admittedly, he was surprised the dark-haired lady would actually consent to his request. Then again, he felt he had to act quickly before she changed her mind.

All too soon, the space between them became vaguely hazy with grains of sand. Hinata knew immediately that the duel had started even though the Kazekage still had his arms folded at his front. Without much ado, she surged forward before the sand thickened. However, just as she was about to place a hit at her opponent, he disappeared… _And the tiny grains started to thicken. _

Hinata scanned her surrounding, fearful and excited all at once. Adrenaline was surging through her body like new blood. It felt as if she was on a mission, anticipating an attack from a dangerously powerful enemy. Quietly, she reached for some shuriken in a pouch tied around her right thigh. Even though the sand could not impede her vision, she knew she was at risk. She had learnt that apart from the fact that Gaara's fighting style was a stationary type, he was also good in middle to long-range combats. Yet her best stake was to strike him with taijutsu in close contest. She understood that only with _jyuken_, could she actually gain the upper hand. Therefore, she needed to get as close to him as possible, before he overpowered her with his sand.

When she found her opponent seconds later, fifteen to twenty meters away, Hinata tossed over ten shuriken in rapid succession at his direction while running as fast as she could towards him. She wasn't surprised to see him looking unflustered. Gaara rarely needed to move his body to make an attack.

Then, as she neared him, Hinata thrust an opened palm to hit. The Kazekage responsively dodged the attack while sand automatically rose from his sides, both to counter and attack. The dark-haired lady continued her assault with both hands while diffusing sand attacks. Then, as she gained speed, she started attacking with fluid taijutsu. But when she finally landed a hit on her opponent's chest, his body disintegrated into pouring sand. Only then did she realize she had been fighting Gaara's sand clone… _And the tiny grains continued to thicken._

By now, Hinata was starting to feel really uncomfortable with that much sand in the air. True, the Byakugan would not fail her even in such condition but, she was in the desert, standing on sand. And _sand_ was the very foundation to Gaara's fighting strength. The whole state of affairs was definitely not to her advantage. She needed to find the Kazekage fast. Without closing her eyes, she concentrated more chakra to her orbs before quickly scanning her surrounding again.

Gaara however, didn't allow her time to delay. Before Hinata could find him, enormous hands of sand came surging after her. The dark-haired lady had to flip backward in somersaults to avoid being captured by the hands. After the eighth back flip, she caught the Kazekage's image and immediately sent two kunai towards him. She missed - the blades flippantly went over her opponent's shoulders. But they were merely a diversion and, just as Gaara's sand hands decelerated for a second, she jumped up and ran towards him again, this time running in zig zag, dodging the oncoming giant hands as best as she could. _Yet, the tiny grains continued to thicken._

The enormous hands dispersed in accordance and for a second, the dark-haired lady felt that she was finally gaining ground. Nevertheless, before she could get any nearer, Hinata noticed that there was a giant coil of sand suspending around Gaara. Extending his hand out, the red-haired male sent sand spikes shooting from the sand coil towards his opponent. The Kazekage's _wife_ leapt backwards before coming to a halt after a third leap. Then, she started moving her arms in a sweeping pattern, forward, backward and around as quickly as she could. Gathering enough chakra in her palms, she released thin chakra streams that acted like sharp blades to counter Gaara's sand spikes. These flexible blades allowed her to sever the oncoming spikes with extreme accuracy.

For a second, Gaara's lips seemed to quirk up on one side. He had not seen this form of counter attack before. Undisclosed, this was a fighting style Hinata had developed years ago. It was something that was unique to her – _the Protection of the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms._

He expected his _wife_ to counter his sand spikes with a _kaiten,_ similar to what Hyuga Neji had executed during the chunin exams. He thought he would see her dispel the assault with a whirling vortex. Hinata's method was clearly different and versatile… it was also uniquely interesting.

But soon after, the Kazekage brought two hands forward to change his method of attack. For a spell, the sand spikes stopped coming. But before Hinata could take a breather, there was a giant sand wave coursing towards her. Without delay, she strengthened her chakra control to form a protective sphere around her, creating an absolute mode of defense as the wave surged forward threateningly. Then, there was a startling impact when the wave hit the sphere with a loud clashing sound of collision. After that, there was silence… _and the air was finally clear of sand._

Gaara wasted no time in rushing to the fore to perceive the consequence of his assault. But as he came near his _wife_, she swung a chakra-filled palm forward, mistaking his advance for another attack. In response, the red-haired male took a step back before casually crossing his arms, unperturbed by the fact that the thin chakra blade Hinata sent out had actually made a cut across his right cheek, drawing blood. Yet that was the last thing running through the Kazekage's mind at the moment. His new _wife_ had fought with a kind of vivacity that he had never thought she possessed. It had been an enjoyable fight…

Finally realizing that the spar was over, Hinata relaxed while trying to catch her breath. She brushed her hair back, then let her hands fall to her sides before straightening herself. She didn't know she had wounded Gaara. Not when the blood on the cheek was of the same color as the hair framing his face. She was about to give a short bow, acknowledging the Kazekage's fighting superiority when her eyes caught the cut.

Wide-eyed and without reservations, she hastily reached out for his face. Gaara, however, immediately grabbed her wrist before she could touch him. He was unaccustomed to such kindliness, unaccustomed to being in such closeness.

"I've hurt you. I… I'm sorry," Hinata quickly apologized. "I shouldn't have made the last attack."

"I'm fine…"

"No, I… I can heal this," she said earnestly before bringing blue flowing chakra to her hand.

Gaara released his grip when he understood Hinata's intention and allowed her to tend to the cut on his face. He could feel one of her hands near his cheek and the soothing sensation her chakra emitted. Her other hand was inadvertently placed on his shoulder while she concentrated on his injury. For a spell, he couldn't look away. He was mesmerized by her eyes. Never before had he had the chance to perceive the white eyes so closely and clearly. He had never been that fascinated with the Hyuga eyes before. Somehow, Hinata's eyes and her overall features just seemed to draw him in. Then, for the first time in his life, he felt a sudden tug at his heart – a kind of warmth mixed with tenseness. It felt funny… He was Gaara, Kazekage of Sunagakure, leader to the hidden village of the sand. Yet at that moment, being in such proximity with the dark-haired lady, he was feeling a little… _self-conscious_?

The Kazekage had to close his eyes. His heart was suddenly beating a little faster than normal. And the faint scent of flower coming from Hinata wasn't really helping. Only when he felt the chakra flow slowly recede and finally gone, did he open his eyes. Hinata had finished healing him. For a moment, he found himself staring right into pale lavender eyes. Then, he realized that Hinata was blushing as she quickly withdrew her hands. She had only just become mindful of their closeness and was suddenly feeling extremely bashful. But before the whole situation become awkward, Gaara turned towards the village.

"We should get back," he said, his voice giving away nothing of what he had felt earlier. Hinata could only nod as she quietly followed the Kazekage back.

When they reached the perimeter of the village, Gaara silently turned around to give a quick scan at the area they had just deserted. There, out in the open desert, were sand dunes everywhere. Not the normal, wind-caused sand dunes, but wide winding dunes of sand that looked more like remnants from the passing of a sandstorm. He found it amusing that he and his _wife_ were capable of such a scene through their earlier exchange. The whole place actually looked beautiful… ruggedly beautiful.

Briefly, he was filled with a sense of pride and satisfaction. It was like gaining something he never knew he wanted all these time. As he turned back towards the village, he smiled to himself. True, he was skeptical about the marriage in the first place and, Hinata still didn't look too eager. But maybe, things might be different from what he thought. Gradually, he was willing to allow a tiny part of his heart relent to the whole arrangement. And the smile on his face stayed a little longer…

**A/N: Well, this is my first attempt at a fighting scene. I really want to know how I fared so please, if you may, oblige me with a review this time. I don't mind criticisms. I just need to know if I can do anymore fights.**

**As for Misha48, thanks for the review.**

**Anyway, Happy 2013!**

**- softwinds -**


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